George,

Few doubt the ability of the US, with or without allies, to crush the Iraqi military. Reasonable debate can be held as to how many casualties our forces will suffer, depending on the willingness of the Iraqis to defend their homeland. (There has been all too little discussion about who, exactly, the casualties will be.)

Many are not yet convinced that Saddam is the threat the Bush administration claims he is and wonder why war? Why now? Most, however, would agree that a democratic, secular, prosperous Arab state that would allow us to cut ties with Saudi Arabia, would be a good thing.

And there's the rub. If we, after two hundred years trying in Latin America (where folks in power generally share our Western culture and Judeo-Christian religion) have been unable to establish a firm culture of democracy, what hubris it is to think we can do such a thing in Iraq. We're talking the mother of all tar babies.

Al Weed (electronic mail, October 9, 2002)